After our first live elephant collaring in August 2021 and our little mishap of not being able to find the second elephant back then (he lost his old collar the day before our live event was planned and quite literally snuck under the radar), the team at Elephants Alive identified 2 different elephants for collaring this February! These elephant were in an area where they were posing a risk for human-wildlife conflict, so they were the perfect candidates. GPS collaring allows the research team to track the elephants' movements, making it possible to predict habits and regular pathways. This way, the surrounding communities can then take preventative measures to avoid conflict.
The area was very technically challenging to fly, with telephone lines & power cables making the job a whole lot harder for Jana from Hope For Wildlife Helicopters to position the helicopter for darting.
As Joel from Wildscapes vets eventually managed to dart the elephant, he proved to be quite the character, challenging & fighting with the helicopter while we waited for the sedative to take effect.
Going down in a thorn thicket and very challenging surroundings for the team to get access, it took us a while to clear a pathway and to get the collar underneath the elephant’s neck to attach it securely. In the meantime, the Elephants Alive team collected all the physical data, measurements & samples they needed for their research record data. The collar was fitted successfully, and with the reversal drug administered, the elephant got back on his feet safely!
From our side, we want to thank our donors for their contribution to this operation! This would not have been possible without your support. You enabled Wild Wonderful World to fund this operation together with Ellie & May, and are now part of the long-term scientific research by Elephants Alive into elephant movement patterns & corridors, thereby aiding in the prevention of human-wildlife conflict situations. For more info on the importance of this research, visit the Elephants Alive website & social media pages.
Be sure to CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDING of the live stream, filmed & edited by Painted Dog TV!
Hosted by
Michelle from Wild Wonderful World
Amy from Ellie & May
